Community Network
Community led action, making positive change.
PIN NETWORK
Who is PIN?
The Palmerston Indigenous Network is a committed group of service providers both government and non-government working in the best interests of First Nation children, families and individuals living in Palmerston.
The network was established in 2016 and came about from identifying there were many services in the Palmerston area working with First Nations children and families but not getting together to network and share information. The network at first was purely to share information and build relationships as we knew that through a strong local network, we could strengthen our community.
It did not take long for a consensus amongst the group that we needed to work more collaboratively to make changes at a community level and we could no longer work in silos if we wanted change!
Community Collaborations
PIN and its members are working in innovative ways to collectively improve outcomes for First Nations people in Palmerston. This has included:
· Collecting community voice, realising we are all working towards the same outcomes and have a vested interest in sharing our data.
· A Trauma Informed Palmerston – delivering cultural Trauma and Healing Workshops for community members in 2021
· Hosting Changefest 21
· Supporting access to youth programs that provide a platform for young people’s voices to be heard (Palmerston postcard project and Young People’s Wellbeing Cards)
Palmerston NAIDOC
NAIDOC Week Events. NAIDOC Week celebrations are held around the country each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The Palmerston NAIDOC committee are made up from passionate volunteers from our community to put on a full week of activities to celebrate First Nations people & culture and include the whole community in those celebrations.
Reconciliation Event
Be Brave, Make Change
Reconciliation Australia and its Reconciliation Action Plan program are having a profound impact on increasing awareness and understanding between Australia’s First Peoples and other Australians, and significantly aiding efforts to close the disparity gap.
This is an important issue to be raised and participated in our community to Be Brave and Make the Change!
Changefest 2021
Since 2018, the Changefest movement has gathered for three country-wide events. Starting in 2018 Logan (Yagara and Yugambeh Country), then 2019 Mt Druitt (Darug Country) and most recently, 2021 Palmerston (Larrakia Country). The Palmerston event secured collaboration and partnerships from stakeholders including Palmerston Indigenous Network, City of Palmerston, NT Government, and the Australian Government. Each gathering has been a gathering for celebration and learning of how communities and collaborators are leading change.
Justice For Cassius
One of our youth workers from the YMCA Youth drop in reached out to Mechelle Turvey, and asked if we could do a balloon release in Cassius' honour. Not only did she give us permission, she also sent the most amazing video message that we decided we had to share this message of strength & love with the whole community.
We wanted to share this moment from one grieving community to another. Even from another state across the country we could show our love and support for this beautiful boy and his family. As a parent, brother, daughter, cousin, friend or community member this tragedy has touched us all in some way.
What connects the PIN network the most is how passionate we are about the kids in our community, as this community is our home, and the kids are our babies and we have buried too many lately and it's got to stop.
We know it takes a village and we need our villages across the country to help with keeping our babies safe and loved, in turn our community will gain strength and understanding from one another to end any more senseless tragedies.
Trauma Informed Training
PIN regulary engages with Trauma informed care and training and is a huge advocate to impliment this training into our schools and those who work with vunerable youth.